September 14th in African American History – Beau Richards

September 14, 2000 Beau Richards, stage, film and television actress died.

Born Beulah Richardson on July 12, 1920 in Vicksburg, Mississippi, Richards graduated from Dillard University in 1948 and two years later moved to New York. Her career started to take off in 1955 with her appearance in the off-Broadway production of “Take a Giant Step”. Broadway productions, in which Richards appeared, include “The Miracle Worker” (1957) and “A Raisin in the Sun” (1959).

In 1965, she was nominated for a Tony Award for her stage performance in “The Amen Corner”. In 1967, Richards was nominated for an Academy Award for her performance in “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner”. Other notable movie performances include “Hurry Sundown” (1967), “In the Heat of the Night” (1967), and “Beloved” (1998).

Richards made numerous television appearances and won two Prime Time Emmy Awards for Outstanding Guest Actress. In 2003, Richards was the subject of the documentary “Beau: A Black Woman Speaks”.

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